Imperial Presidency Strikes Again

Tuesday, April 01, 2008

by Man Eegee

Where is the outrage from the greater part of the country? So many dangerous precedents have been set by this regime that I've lost count; yet, when it comes to the militarization of the U.S. - Mexico border, the issue is either ignored or applauded.

WASHINGTON - The Bush administration plans to use its authority to bypass more than 30 laws and regulations in an effort to finish building 670 miles of fence along the southwest U.S. border by the end of this year, federal officials said Tuesday.

Invoking the legal waivers — which Congress authorized — would cut through bureaucratic red tape and sidestep environmental laws that currently stand in the way of the Homeland Security Department building 267 miles of fencing in California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas, according to officials familiar with the plan. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the waivers had not yet been announced.

The move would be the biggest use of legal waivers since the administration started building the fence. Previously, the department has used its waiver authority for two portions of fence in Arizona and one portion in San Diego.